Hey Now!

David Lemieux Live Chat 2/13/02 9PM ET, 6PM PT

The Grateful Dead Forum was pleased to host a special live chat in the GDF Conference Room with David Lemieux to celebrate the public release of Dick's Picks 13-18.

We attempted to spend a few minutes on each of the six DP's, and at the end, talked a little about the new Dick's Picks 24 release too!

[note from Geoff: a followup call to David revealed that he really has no favorite ice cream flavor, and the last form of frozen dessert to pass his lips was orange sherbert.]

Chat disentaglement courtesy of Tom Thornton, Northwest Virtual Tours

chat copyright 2002 Grateful Dead Forum and AOL

Geoff Gould: Welcome everyone! David Lemieux is here with us tonight - Say hello Dave!

DL: Greetings everyone

C Wyche1: Welcome Dave

DL: and welcome to you, too

GG: we're here to celebrate the wide release of Dick's Picks 13-18 and give away some free posters. It's up to David, so I have no idea what he's looking for in a winner!

DL: hooray

GG: so let's get started, so we have a few minutes left at the end to talk about other things. Let's start with # 13.

DL: ok

GG: David, what can you tell us about why Dick liked this?

DL: ah, yes, 13. One of Dick's favorite shows from the 1980s. The 2nd set jam always blew him away and to him it was not only of the best jams of the 80s, it was one of the best jams ever. He also really dug the first set. There is some great playing in there

GG: favorite cut from 13?

DL: I know he loved the Cassidy. The closing trio of Big RR Blues; Let It Grow>Deal was also much loved

GG: isn't this the one with the hidden track?

DL: Yes, the hidden Scarlet>Fire from 11/1/79. It's very long, and very inspired. Brent has some amazing things going on. It's at the end of CD 2, after the Sailor>Saint.

GG: I always like the hidden stuff

DL: Hidden gems can be fun.

Bdeegan11: David, is 81 an era with gaps in the vault, or could we see more later?

DL: There might be more 81 at a later date. There are some good tapes in the vault. The December 81 shows were quite good, as were some earlier in the year

GG: oh, really? ;-)

GG: as we go through these. Let us know if Dick saw these shows

Lord Guano: 1980 seems to be a year that hasn't been explored since Reckoning/Dead set other than bonus tracks on one of the later DP's.

DL: Yes, 1980 is lacking as far as official releases go

GG: ok, so no big poster winners so far, maybe it's time to move on to DP 14? 4 CD's from Boston - Boston Music Hall ~ 11/30/73 & 12/2/73. Why did Dick like these?

DL: Yes, DP 14. Some great stuff. I started working here just around the time Dick was putting that one together. He was so excited by the 2 Morning Dews.

GG: two dews is too cool

DL: And he loved every CD in the Pick. Each had its own "personality"

Lord Guano: Why did Dick elect to keep 11/30 in the mix at the expense of more stuff from the following shows - that one doesn't seem to be as hot as the others.

DL: I don't think Dick was all that fond of 12/1/73 But he did find alot he liked on 11/30 and 12/2

Bdeegan11: Are there more shows in good shape from that fall tour w/o Donna?

DL: Good question, Bdeegan11. You win a POSTER!

GG: the first poster prize!

DL: there are some other great show from that tour, but with DP 1 and DP 14, some of the best have been released

Lonekoyote: Did Dick leave behind voluminous notes?

DL: Dick did leave us with many notes, suggestions to friends and co-workers and other forms of making his wishes known.

Lonekoyote: Which is Phil's fave DxPx?

DL: I have no idea which Dick's Picks Phil likes best - hopefully all of them :-)

GG: ok, let's move on to Dick's Picks 15, Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ ~ 9/3/77. I have to say, I liked this one a lot more than I thought I liked 77. I'm particularly fond of Peggy-o. Did any of you see this show?

Lord Guano: I was there, Sweeney. We got there real early and I dozed through Marshall Tucker (was it?) What a long hot Joisey day that was!

HOST GDFSWalker: there was nobody takin tix when we got to Englishtown

Bdeegan11: Englishtown was my first show. I had no idea how special it was until later...

DL: Ah yes, one of Dick's most-loved shows. After his passing, John Cutler wanted to release something Dick REALLY wanted more than anything and this show was at the top of the list.

Bdeegan11: David, was Englishtown taken from two channel masters or the multi-tracks?

DL: It came from a 2 track rough mixed tape. I think the intention after Dick's passing was to release 11/8/69, but it would have required too much work due to technical gremlins on the tape.

GG: ahh...gremlins

DL: so 9/3/77 it was. A heck of a great runner up.

GG: Not too shabby; just goes to show there are nuggets in every era.

Lord Guano: Any hopes of Palladium May '77 shows? I know Dick wasn't too hot on these, but they were my cherry-busters.

DL: There is some very good material in those Palladium shows

GG: OK, let's move on to DP 16: Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA 11/8/69 - what did Dick like about this?

DL: Dick loved everything about 11/8/69! Primal Dead at its best.

GG: did you say he'd seen this show?

DL: I believe he was there. he'd seen most all of the local 1969 shows.

AxeAce73: i love this version of GMLSG

Lord Guano: I love the way Jerry splits the intro figure with Bobby on this version of Schoolgirl.

GG: Ahhh...Pigpen

DL: There is a technical problem on the tape that involves a click throughout the tape, about 8 clicks per second.

GG: did you take it out?

DL: so, before that show's release, it required removal of each click .

GG: sounds like lots of work. That's why I like the DP series, even if one has tapes.

DL: it really is an amazing document - Jeffrey is quite an amazing mastering engineer

AxeAce73: do you ever look at a possible DP and compare it with the tracks of other released cds?

DL: AXE: good question, give him a POSTER! Often we compare upcoming possibilities with things that we've already released. We listen to other things we've put out quite frequently

GG: Time for DP 17 Boston Garden ~ 9/25/91

DL: Into the 90s

GG: tell me why I should like this. I think it's pretty sloppy.

DL: to quote the Dude, "ya, well, that's just like your opinion, man" :-) If you listen to alot of the 1991 material, you'll find alot of it is similar playing to this show

GG: what did Dick's notes reveal?

DL: Dick really liked the last 3 nights of that Boston 91 run, and we made a choice to go with the middle night for performance quality.

GG: Maybe I'm listening to Jerry too much on this one; he seems tired. Well, it always seems like one person's dud is another's nugget although I doubt we'll see a DP for Boreal Ridge!

DL: No, Boreal won't be coming out any time soon!

GG: Boreal was a joke! ;-)

DL: We've received alot of positive feedback on DP 17 As well as our other 1991 release, VFTV 2.

Lord Guano: Do you think we'll eventually see a '93, 94 or -- gulp -- '95 show in the series?

DL: I don't know what the future releases are going to be, but not that one

GG: and now, DP 18:DANE COUNTY COLISEUM, MADISON, WI ~ 2/3/78 UNI-DOME, CEDAR FALLS, IA ~ 2/5/78. Wrapping up the series here - I think it's real strong.

DL: I listen to DP 18 all the time it seems. What a great tour that little jaunt was. It has such a good feeling, great energy. The Scarlet>Fire is amazing, all the first set songs are great. The Music Never Stopped peaks like few others; Great Passenger.

GG: for those of us who didn't get out of the Bay Area much to see them, it's nice to see how strong they were on the road

DL: They sure played great elsewhere. To think of all the amazing shows in the midwest, in smaller cities and towns

GG: to think of the culture shock!

DL: No kidding! This great music, being played in Cedar Falls, or Norman, or Madison

GG: the meatball probably hit a few folk at that show.

DL: I am sure it did. When Jerry hits the peak on The Other from Cedar Falls, lookout! I also think that CD 2 is wonderful. Most everything about it is inspired

GG: well, y'all have been very well-behaved as we ran through the 13-18 picks, So maybe we can move forward, to Dick's Picks 24?

DL: ah yes, hot off the presses - and a really fun show, with some monster playing.

GG: listening to the end of the "palindrome' just now - awesome.

DL: it sure does feel good, doesn't it? I have that and DP 22 in the car now and I can't get enough of either

GG: I always enjoyed the shows in SF where they only played one night, they put it all into one .

DL: Dick once said something similar to me

GG: There was some sort of light-show thingy in the center of the crowd, pulsating star patterns and such and then at the end, some guy stood on top of it during Sugar Mag and held a flexible reflector that sprayed stars all over the place

DL: It must have been great. Lots of people here at the GD office were at that show and have nothing but great memories of it and they were thrilled to see its release.

GG: thanks for throwing us old folks a bone, eh?

DL: I wish I were at that show - a wee bit young for that.

GrateMGL: From what extent are you still using Dick's notes for these releases?

GG: yes, what about Dick's notes?

DL: still quite extensively

C Wyche1: Any hint for # 25?

DL: C Wychel gets a poster

Lord Guano: Are you pretty much on target with where you want to be as to frequency of releases?

DL: We are doing quite well with our release schedule. We are getting close to finalizing the year's schedule, so y'all ought to be happy.

Dpcind: any consideration to releasing any shows of bobby and the midnights or go ahead or bob weir band?

DL: not really; DPs are really their own thing

GrateMGL: Does the DP series get interfered with when other releases are let out?

GG: I think DP's seem to be release when other releases are out intentional it seems!

DL: They don't go in stores, except every 2 years we put 6 in, so DPs don't affect a VFTV or a vault release

Lord Guano: I wish the Video releases were as generous with their scheduling. I understand there isn't as much material.

DL: There is alot of video, but they take a long time to produce - Much more work than a DP.

GrateMGL: I know this has been asked but what to any extent do the band members have a say as to what DP get released?

DL: The band members have been quite busy with their own projects lately, so they haven't been too involved. They are very interested in new releases, and vault releases and videos.

GG: David, are you involved at all with the DVD-Audio stuff?

DL: somewhat, but Mickey is really the DVD-A leader around here

GG: well, I wonder how a DP would sound in that resolution?

Shaw93: Any chance of seeing 7/4/71 on Video,closing the FW

DL: Closing of Fillmore W: we've not got that video footage

Lonekoyote: Do folks allowed in the Vault have photo ID's?

DL: I have photo ID, and I'm really the only one who goes in there.

Lord Guano: I assume the band has full veto rights... have any DP's been kayboshed by a band member?

DL: The band trusts our judgment, I think, on DPs, so I think it's been a while since a DP was outright vetoed

Kwjibo: Is the Vault ever going to be available for download?

DL: The vault's digitizing (and thereafter downloadability) is in progress. Alot of work

Lonekoyote: What medium is the vault being digitized to?

DL: well, that is in discussion now as a final stage.

C Wyche1: Time table for downloadability?

DL: No idea. When it is perfect. Sooner rather than later, that is

Lonekoyote: Can you tell us a DxPx date that was vetoed?

DL: No idea; before my time

GrateMGL: what about talk of some compilation of guest spots with the band coming out?

DL: Perhaps someday

GrateMGL: is that a management thing? Company compliance with all artists in agreement ~ how hard a thing is that?

DL: Yes, it would involve alot of rights clearance I imagine. I avoid that stuff.

Lonekoyote: Live Dead Box Set due out...when?

DL: LDBS: that would be something, eh?

Lonekoyote: LDBS...it's coming out this year, isn't it.

DL: I don't know what's being released this year. They don't tell me anything. We are hoping to get a View from the Vault going for this year. I think this year's releases will please alot of people

GG: well, after DP 24, I'm pretty happy

GrateMGL: What about the GD Movie ~ have you seen unused footage?

DL: I have seen the unused footage from the GD Movie. When released on DVD, it will have alot of extra footage. There is some amazing GD Movie outtake material

Bdeegan11: How does a week of extra footage sound, too greedy?

DL: I am with Bdeegan on that

GG: and what about the closing of Winterland? Dick wanted that released.

DL: I think Closing of Winterland DVD/CD release will get done, too, someday.

GG: thank goodness

Lord Guano: How about 11/24/78 Capitol Theater vid?

DL: we do not hold the 11/24/78 video master

Lord Guano: Does anyone hold the 11/24 masters??? How'd that happen???

DL: how did what happen?

Lord Guano: That the Dead don't hold the master video to that Capital Theater show?

DL: I guess things were looser then

Bdeegan11: Capitol Theater may belong to John Scher.

DL: perhaps

Bdeegan11: David, I recall multi camera set-ups at New Years 81 and 82. Are these the band's? Or BGP?

DL: those 81s and 82s aren't here. I'd love to see that

Bdeegan11: David, thanks for all your hard work. I hold you responsible for me having a Richmond 85 I can crank!

DL: thanks

GG: well, maybe we give away a last poster? I'm sure David wants to go home to supper!

DL: I am working very late tonight. No supper for me. I am actually staying late to view some VFTV 3 possibilities

GG: oooooo! Hint?

DL: Still in the weeding out stage

GG: weeding is good

Bassjam624: Dear Dave! 7/14/90Foxboro, MA 105 degrees, but a nice 2nd set! would make a super VFTV 3

DL: duly noted

GG: David, your favorite ice cream flavor?

Lord Guano: What was Dick's favorite Ice Cream flavor?

GG: we have two chats with Dick in the archives; I'm sure we asked him

DL: well, keep your ears open for this year's releases. Nothing finalized, but likely some truly epic stuff

Lonekoyote: More liner notes from show attendees?

GG: Yeah, if we knew ahead of time the show, you could get real good liner notes!

GG: any last wonderful questions?

DL: free poster is at stake

Lonekoyote: Stanley Cup predictions?

DL: winner!

GG: trust it for a hockey question to win a poster from the Canadian

Lonekoyote: I played Right Wing, shot left, though.

DL: I was a right defense, shot left

GG: does every Canadian also follow ice skating?

DL: no

GG: I just have to tell y'all to get the new DP24, and of course the 13-18!

DL: 13-18 has some great variety. Something for everyone

GG: OK all - thanks for coming - we bid you goodnight. Thank you David!

DL: good night, all - thank you!


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